Pats need to re-sign Matt Light to avoid domino effect to OL

[part-timer]

Please explain the rationale for why you switch them during the season.

Shoure. First of all Soldier may very well earn the confidence of the team before the season starts and start at LT, but there are many senarios where Vollmer may start at LT and return to RT.
If by the start of the season the team feels more game time experience is needed by Soldier before he can be trusted with the blind side he may start at RT with Vollmer at LT. There is also the possibility that Vollmer and Soldier may split time at LT till the team feels comfortable with Soldier at LT, in which case Kaczur would fill in at RT. Soldier may also split reps at both LT and RT early season till his starting roll get more defined.
Right now the team knows Vollmer can play the LT spot and untill Vollmer was drafted Kaczur has played the RT spot. Two things are needed early this season,one Soldier need to be worked into the LT spot and the best two OT's need to be on the field.
Soldier may need gametime reps (experience)with NFL quality DE's before earning the trust of the team to move left. In any case Vollmer has proven that he can play RT also (unlike Light who could not play RT effectively). RT being a different skillset than Soldier has played yet will make Vollmer a more effective player there. So when Soldier is ready to start at LT that move puts him into a possition he is most familiar with, and moveing Vollmer back to RT puts him in a possition he is most familiar with.
The conclusion of this explanation is Soldier haveing only played 3 seasons at OT, starting them all at LT is best placed in the possition he is most familiar with (LT)and Vollmer haveing played the majority of his pro career at RT means he will be in a possition of most familiarity at RT.

 

[part-timer]

I would suggest that if you have such a problem with my posts that you must resort to childish personal attacks, that you should just ignore them.
I am perfectly fine, in fact honored, if you decide that in your opinion I am wrong about everything and unworthy of your attention.

I believe it was you that decided to criticly disect one of my posts sentence by sentence, inviteing rebutal. Then distorting my statements in your arguments. If defending my oppinions against your attack makes you appear wrong and unworthy (your words), it is what it is. I have no problems with your oppinions, just your tactics. Takeing sentences and phrases out of context and totaly changeing quotes and context.

The first personal attack sent was by you on post 83 if you don't count all the one's you sent other posters ways. If you don't like it don't start it. Your opinion that my posts are MORONIC , and my suggestion that you are dence and delusional may be defendable but your calling other posters a **** is purely childish(post 64).Or maby everyone else is wrong and you are the proverbial authority.

 

[part-timer]

BB does not have a 'militaristic background'. Reading the Art of War does not give someone a miliaristic background. BB has a background in football.
Please enlighten me on the vast difference between a militaristic (if that is even a word) background, and a military background.

BB although not haveing served in the military and not being the child of an active serviceman has not an actual military background, but the fact that his father served in the navy and raised BB while being on the coaching staff of the Naval Acadamy at Anapolis can assure that military values and disipline were instilled at a very early age. BB's involvement with his fathers possition in the Naval accadamy and football set up the man he is today who still expects those values and disipline's of his players today. So the Patriot way is the Naval Academy way.


mil·i·ta·rism noun \ˈmi-lə-tə-ˌri-zəm\

Definition of MILITARISM
1a : predominance of the military class or its ideals b : exaltation of military virtues and ideals ---------------------------------------------------------------

— mil·i·ta·ris·tic \ˌmi-lə-tə-ˈris-tik\ adjective ----------Militaristic---Adjective

Consider yourself ENLIGHTENED !

Ask anyone who has served, but with a little more respect than you currently have, or you may have a problem.

 

[Off The Grid]

DENCE!!

"DENCE!!"???

Yes, that IS a quote, ladies and gentlemen!!

 

[italia44]

Solder is coming off of a very poor strength showing at the combine. Why would you want him playing the power side of the line?

Because I don't need him to bench press the opposition....just to block 'em and run them over,which with his size and agility,he is eninently qualified to do:rocker:

 

[italia44]

If FA came first, we do not know if BB would have signed Light and used the pick elsewhere.
The pick is not a condemnation of Light, but a pick based on the chance our LT was gone.
That doesn't mean it wasn't a pick he would have made if Light had a year left on a contract either. It means we don't know, so suggesting the pick reflects on Light is wrong.

Volmer is the RT. Sure you could move him to LT, then who is the RT? Kaczur reportedly was asked to take a paycut and told the team to F off. Volmer can only play one side.

You're still not getting it,Andy....If Light was signed for 2011,BB still would have picked Solder. Using Light as FA is just another smokesreen. And how about defending your Manieri at LT scenario?

 

[part-timer]

The report said Kaczur was approached to take a pay cut, and refuse and suggested he would be cut. There was speculation on this board it would happen before the lockout. Look it up, and learn something.

SPECULATION of an article and the message board???? OOOOOOHHHHH! that is where I must go to learn something. Thanks for giveing up your great sources. Report said he was asked to take a pay cut and refused, THEN speculated he would be cut. Can't question that SPECULATION.

I suppose the speculation also stated that Kaczur said "F OFF" to the team. RIIIIGHT!

 

[supafly]

BB does not have a 'militaristic background'. Reading the Art of War does not give someone a miliaristic background. BB has a background in football.
Please enlighten me on the vast difference between a militaristic (if that is even a word) background, and a military background.

BB although not haveing served in the military and not being the child of an active serviceman has not an actual military background, but the fact that his father served in the navy and raised BB while being on the coaching staff of the Naval Acadamy at Anapolis can assure that military values and disipline were instilled at a very early age. BB's involvement with his fathers possition in the Naval accadamy and football set up the man he is today who still expects those values and disipline's of his players today. So the Patriot way is the Naval Academy way.


mil·i·ta·rism noun \ˈmi-lə-tə-ˌri-zəm\

Definition of MILITARISM
1a : predominance of the military class or its ideals b : exaltation of military virtues and ideals ---------------------------------------------------------------

— mil·i·ta·ris·tic \ˌmi-lə-tə-ˈris-tik\ adjective ----------Militaristic---Adjective

Consider yourself ENLIGHTENED !

Ask anyone who has served, but with a little more respect than you currently have, or you may have a problem.

I understand what you're saying Part-timer, as you're talking about how it can't hurt that he was brought up in a positive way by someone who had direct ties to the military. Whether or not that would be considered a military background is arguable, and will depend on the person--but your point remains the same. His father's influence certainly could not have hurt any. In the same token, I do not want or mean to interfere with your debate, so that is not my intention.

Let's not forget that Belichick was also part of the Chi Psi fraternity too, one that was founded on the aspects of good morals, good manners, and what it is to be a "true gentleman."

Belichick certainly has lots of these characteristics:

"Chi Psi also embraces the idea of being a true gentleman, by following the definition of a gentleman as put forward by John Walter Wayland's 'The True Gentleman':

The True Gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from good will and an acute sense of propriety and whose self-control is equal to all emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another; who does not flatter wealth, cringe before power, or boast of his own possessions or achievements; who speaks with frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others rather than his own; and who appears well in any company; a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe."

(We could all learn a lot from him, and not just football related)

 

[DaBruinz]

Unless he takes a big pay cut I don't see Light coming back. I think people waste a lot of time talking about something that is pretty much a non issue. For better or worse Solder will be LT next year.

Why does Light need to take a "BIG pay cut"?? He was only being paid around $5M. Which is about middle of the pack for veteran starting LTs..

By drafting Solder, the Pats have hedged their bets of Light leaving. And the possibility is great because of the teams that are going to have to spend some money due to the cap floor.

The only way I see Light staying is if Brady reaches out to him for a "one last run" type of thing that would allow Solder to develop.

 

[townes]

Why then did BB make Soldier his FIRST pick in the draft. Baced on BB first pick in the draft with the obvious need at OLB and DE, replaceing Light WAS a priority.

I thought he made the pick because he felt Solder was the best Tackle prospect in the draft and has the potential to be a really good LT for the next decade, not because he was looking for him to immediately replace Light at the start of the season.

 

[townes]

Other than showing you are a dlck, is there a point here?

Well yeah, mocking you for being a **** and sounding like a telephone tree was the point.


Smart as you are i figured you would get that, my bad, I forgot you have no sense of humor.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Based on how he absolutely gets abused by speed rushers. Which has been an issue for a few years and he is only getting older. Light has been overrated for a while.

I am not guaranteeing that Solder will start at LT. But, It's not the Patriots MO to overpay an aging OT. Something like 2yr/4-5 mil total seems about right for Light. If someone is willing to pay him more then let him walk and sign someone else.

LOL. His agent would have to be braindead to accept that kinda deal. Quality LTs in this league command a lot of money on the free agent market. Light is well above average. He may be aging but there are lots of teams desperate for help at LT that will be willing to overpay. New England won't be one of them.

So thanks for your services and contributions Matt Light. But I think 2011 is gonna be the dawning of the Vollmer/Solder era.

 

[Shelterdog]

Solder is coming off of a very poor strength showing at the combine. Why would you want him playing the power side of the line?

First, you're making too much of the bench press. It's an upper body exercise that doesn't really tell you all that much about a player's functional strength.

Second, he did 21 reps at 225-the exact same number as Mankins and Kaczur FWIW-and you've got to remember that he's a long armed guy. It's not a great showing but it's not like he's pathetically weak.

Does solder have a strong base and core? Does he have good functional strength? I don't really know but only an idiot would assume his bad bench means that his strength overall is lacking.

 

[Deus Irae]

First, you're making too much of the bench press. It's an upper body exercise that doesn't really tell you all that much about a player's functional strength.

No, I'm not. The bench press was a poor showing at the combine. It's not the only reason people worry about the kid's strength. That was a concern before he put up 21 reps. The reps just reinforced the concerns.

Second, he did 21 reps at 225-the exact same number as Mankins and Kaczur FWIW-and you've got to remember that he's a long armed guy. It's not a great showing but it's not like he's pathetically weak.

Mankins and Kaczur weren't dealing with the lockout situation that Solder is dealing with. Anyone who's not concerned about this is living on hopes and dreams.

Does solder have a strong base and core? Does he have good functional strength? I don't really know but only an idiot would assume his bad bench means that his strength overall is lacking.

Throwing out some red herring, I see.

 

[Shelterdog]

Throwing out some red herring, I see.

You don't know what that phrase means. Stop using it.

Do you have any evidence other than the 21 bench reps that his strength is lacking? Any pre-combine evidence that his strength was a concern? If so lets see it. I doubt you've got it because, frankly, you always just make **** up and then just bluster about how you're too busy when someone asks you for an actual source.

 

[Snake Eyes]

No, I'm not. The bench press was a poor showing at the combine. It's not the only reason people worry about the kid's strength. That was a concern before he put up 21 reps. The reps just reinforced the concerns.

Mankins and Kaczur weren't dealing with the lockout situation that Solder is dealing with. Anyone who's not concerned about this is living on hopes and dreams.

The last time I checked one's upper body is connected to the core, and the lower body to that, having the strongest upper body to have ever existed isn't much use if one had a weak core and legs.

That said, when I look at elite tackles I'm really not seeing all these lockout situations every tells me are so critical. The arms of the tackle are very bent for most of the interaction with the defender, usually with a lot of forward lean, which can also leave the tackle off balance and vulnerable to being exploited, but that's another convo.

YouTube - ‪Amazing NFL Top 100 Players 12 Anthony Munoz‬‏

YouTube - ‪Jake Long #28: NFL top 100 players of 2011‬‏

If a tackle is going to try to win match-ups using his upper body strength he's an idiot that will get beat, his quickness at adjusting his footwork and body positioning are going be key. There's also technique, using the right angles to gain mechanical advantage, pushing against a guy where he can't easily resist, and having the functional strength efficiently to shift the vectors on which he applies force.

YouTube - ‪NFL Films Top 100 Greatest Players #68 Mike Webster - HD, HQ‬‏

It's funny how Greene tells about how all of a sudden Ernie Holmes couldnt move Webster, and neither could Greene. That's not because of muscular strength, it's the "technique" he's using.

Bench pressing, for SOOOOOOO many reasons, is a completely stupid thing to judge a football player on. Solder would be much better off doing Yoga and Judo right now than lifting weights.

 

[The Brandon Five]

I don't think we need to worry about Solder's strength:

Video: Solder on ESPN's Sport Science - Projo Pats Blog

 

[HomerSchooled]

We're dealing with the LT position here, so Solder's absolutely freakish quickness and length mean more than his mediocre upper body strength. His lower body strength is exceptional, by the way: he was tops among OTs for Vertical Jump and 3rd for Broad at the combine. Many had him touted as the best run blocker in the draft.

Like many have pointed out, his 21 bench reps are unexceptional, but they're not abysmal. Guys with 35+ inch arms almost never score more than 30, and Solder's are 35 1/2. Plenty of guys have benched say less than 25 and were fine rookies: Mankins(21), M. Oher (21), Eugene Monroe (23), Duane Brown (24), Ryan Clady (24), etc. Most of those guys had way shorter arms, too, and all had inferior lower body strength.

Solder doesn't need to be an All-Pro out the gate. He just needs to be around average (which is what Light is now), then steadily improve, and we'll be fine. Anything else is gravy.

 

[Deus Irae]

You don't know what that phrase means. Stop using it.

Do you have any evidence other than the 21 bench reps that his strength is lacking? Any pre-combine evidence that his strength was a concern? If so lets see it. I doubt you've got it because, frankly, you always just make **** up and then just bluster about how you're too busy when someone asks you for an actual source.

I know what the phrase means. Perhaps you should look it up. In fact, let me help you:

2.
something intended to divert attention from the real problem or matter at hand; a misleading clue.

Now, if we're talking about one specific aspect, and you toss in another in an attempt to deflect from the first, you're tossing in a red herring.

As for the rest of your post, you should feel free to go back and look at any number of publications, sites, posts, etc... Also, I may be the person here who cites to sources more than any other, so you just don't seem to know anything at all of what you're talking about. When I don't cite to something, it's generally because I considered it something so widely known as not to be necessary.

Here, let's start with a forum talking about him back in 2010. In other words, before the "experts" began really chatting up the draft:

He's a long lean tackle with outstanding feet, agility and great balance. He must work on his strength, and is actually a better pass blocker than run blocker. He reminds me a lot of Joe Staley, just a little more raw. I have him going in the early 2nd, with the potential to explode and go into the top half of the 1st round.

http://forum.walterfootball.com/showthread.php?20634-OT-Nate-Solder-[Colorado]-Scouting-Question

And here's a site from back in January, pre-combine:

Weaknesses:

-- Is not very strong or powerful and has a narrow base
-- Not stout at point of attack and struggles to anchor
-- Not really a finisher and could be more aggressive
-- Still raw and will have to refine / polish technique
-- Must continue to add weight and develop physically

2011 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado - Big Blue View


Now, let's talk about post-combine, non bench press, and Mike Mayock's take:

The Colts have been looking for answers at left tackle for a long time. Solder needs more lower-body strength but has good feet and will take care of Peyton Manning's blind side. At some point the Colts will have a Pro Bowl tackle in Solder.

2011 NFL Draft Projections: Nate Solder And Jimmy Smith - The Ralphie Report

Now, you can feel free to disagree with those cited. You can feel free to disagree with me. I really don't care. However, I'd suggest that the next time you come at me, or anyone else, you should first feel free to learn what the hell you're talking about.

 

[Shelterdog]

I know what the phrase means. Perhaps you should look it up. In fact, let me help you:
blah blah blah blah blah blah

I'll be brief. You should learn to do the same.

The articles you cite don't actually support your argument that he had "a very poor strength showing," that his strength is a "concern" and that his strength is something "people worry about." They don't even say his strength will stop him from playing well as a rookie.

The articles you cite just say it's something he has to work on to develop.

If you don't understand the difference I can't help you.